Decision makers

Tell House Democrats: Draw a line in the sand on benefit cuts and the Bush tax cuts for the wealth

A "grand bargain." "Taxmageddon." The "Fiscal Cliff." Whatever you call it, Congress is headed for a major showdown at the end of the year.

We know what the Republicans want to do: keep taxes on the wealthy and large corporations unconscionably low and military spending sky-high; gut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; and make brutal cuts to important domestic programs like food stamps and unemployment insurance.

In the face of Republican unity, we simply cannot afford for Democrats to be disorganized.

That is why progressives in the House introduced the "Deal for All" resolution that draws a line in the sand on extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% and cutting Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security benefits.

Tell House Democrats to draw a line in the sand on benefit cuts and the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy by co-sponsoring the "Deal for All" resolution.

We need to get as many Democrats on the record as possible with a firm commitment to vote against extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy or cutting Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security benefits.

House Speaker John Boehner is looking to cut a bad deal. And sadly, far too many Democrats in the Senate look willing to work with Republicans to cut a deal that sells us out.

But the best deal for progressives migh be the one that's already written into law as a consequence of last year's debt ceiling standoff.

If we do nothing, the Bush tax cuts will expire and we'll see automatic, in some cases brutal, cuts to government spending. But these cuts include significant reductions to defense spending while sparing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits (not to mention a host of programs that help the most vulnerable).

As painful as the status quo might be, it's substantially better than the deals that have been floated thus far.

Tell House Democrats to draw a line in the sand on benefit cuts and the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy by co-sponsoring the "Deal for All" resolution.

We can and will work to block a bad deal in the Senate, but there's also an opportunity in the House.

John Boehner cannot rely on the members of his own caucus to come up with the votes to pass a deal that will also pass in the Senate.

So if enough House Democrats publicly draw a line in the sand, they can affect the negotiations that are going on right now.

Importantly, courageous Democrats willing to fight to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits and to demand an end to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy can establish a marker about what an acceptable deal would look like.

And when the time comes, it will give them the political space to fight a bad deal.

Tell House Democrats to draw a line in the sand on benefit cuts and the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy by co-sponsoring the "Deal for All" resolution.

This petition was delivered to:

House Democrats

Letter to

House Democrats

Please co-sponsor the 'Deal for All' resolution, which draws a line in the sand on extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% and cutting Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security benefits.